Int’l AIDS day on Friday
By Bushra Rafique

ISLAMABAD—World AIDS Day observed since 1988 is dedicated to raising awareness of the global AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.
World AIDS Day is not just about raising money, but also about increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. The Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.
This year’s theme, “accountability”, is designed to inspire citizens across the globe. World AIDS Campaign hope to develop a sense of joint identity and common purpose and ensure that more people are made aware of the AIDS epidemic this year than ever before.
According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 39.5 million peopleliving with HIV, including 2.3 million children, and during 2006 some 4.3 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35, according to the U.N.’s AIDS epidemic update report.
According to information gathered from various Websites, around 95% ofpeople with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world.
The pandemic has killed more than 25 million people since the firstcase was reported in 1981, making it one of the most destructive illnesses in history.
The joint report by UNAIDS and the World Health Organization acknowledged that access to HIV/AIDS treatment has made a great leap forward in recent years, enabling many infected people to live longer. But it said much remained to be done, especially in prevention.
The disease is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide and thereis still no cure. It is estimated there are 40,000 newly diagnosed cases of HIV each year in the United States.
The HIV-1 antibody test checks whether a person may have antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. If a person becomes infected with HIV, his or her body produces an antibody to try to fight the virus. Unfortunately, the body becomes overwhelmed and is unable to do so. There are currently two tests available to test for the virus. The first option available is an oral swab of the inside of a person’s cheek. This is painless and convenient. The second test uses a needle to draw a blood sample.
It is important to get counseling with a trained test provider before having your HIV test. This is to provide information to help you understand the risk factors for HIV infection.
In the 25 years since the first report, more than 65 million personshave been infected with HIV, and more than 25 million have died from AIDS.
Even more worrisome is the observation that more than 40 per cent of new infections among adults are in young people aged 15 to 24.
Ninety-five per cent of these infections and deaths have occurred in developing countries particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where almost 64 per cent of the estimated 38.6 million persons living with HIV live.
AIDS is now the leading global cause of premature death among people aged 15 to 59. In the hardest-hit countries, the infection erodes the foundations of society, governance, and national security. Safety nets and services are being stretched to breaking point causing social and economic repercussions that will span generations.